After a long silence

Well hello abandoned blog and two readers. Some photos to catch you up. Banjo is big:

Our Thanksgiving table:

The Craigslist chair I bought ages ago - with restained legs (never trying that again by myself!) and new upholstery (goodbye weird pineapples).

Our den at Christmas:

Our new painting by Abby Kasonik (Untitled Time Out #5):

Having a baby- he's due in March. Who knows when (or if) I'll post again! xoxo

Fishs Eddy

Been up to my elbows in soap suds this afternoon as I was trying to remove the oiled finish on our teak dining table outdoors. Between refinishing the legs of my Craigslist chair and this table, I've had enough with stains for one year thank-you-very-much. I keep promising photos, but until I post them, go to Fishs Eddy and browse. I'm picking up the Carnival umbrella for myself and some other gifts for friends.

Aren't these "Nursery Glasses" cute?

Out with the old

My maidenhair fern couldn't hack it in my urns, so I switched them out today. Also put up these tiny bud vases for some summer color.

As you can see above, my failing rose is completely revived. I came back from a trip out of town to these colorful blooms. Unfortunately, my other roses aren't doing well at all. One has lifeless flowers and the other can't seem to make new growth. Suggestions?

I have a problem---

Dishes. I think I need more shelving.

More from Filoli

Filoli

I have been meaning to visit Filoli for the past few years and finally made my way over this morning. I took far too many pictures to post, but here a couple to tide you over until you can make your own visit to this gorgeous estate.

The back entrance:

Could you imagine having to service all these rooms?

The walk-in silver closet/safe:

The ballroom's fireplace:

A view of a downstairs bathroom. I am in love with the wallpaper:

(Blogger and I are still at odds over justification and spacing. Apologies for the aesthetic incongruities)

New Chair

Some very good friends just gave us a check for our wedding, and I used it to buy the chair below off of Craigslist (thank God for Craigslist).

Today I stripped the horrible faux job off of the feet - which you can't see in these photos - and will restain the legs with a dark finish. Once that's complete, the upholsterer will pick up the chair and cover it in a nice cream fabric. (I didn't even consider recovering it myself. Been down that road before...) After pictures to come!

Crime Scene

Today's Finds

A box to replace my husband's shoe boxes:

This helped satisfy my new obsession with antique frames:

A chamber pot as a silverware holder?

Have two of urns and will pot some large ferns this week.

A small wooden mirror:

Hooray for

My new shelves installed and painted by two wonderful friends in exchange for dinner and strawberry rhubarb pie:

This book:

This piece of inspiration (from Design*Sponge):

And for:

- thriving roses

- blooming poppies and bulbs

- new drip irrigation system

- behaving puppy

Ordered.

After sitting and resitting on couches today, I decided on the Montego from Crate and Barrel. Delivery in 6-8 weeks. Oh boy!

Another Option!

Tomorrow is couch testing day. Found this slipcovered option by Mitchell Gold and am deciding between it and the Pottery Barn couch. Opinions welcome (about the style not the color)

Shopping for Seating

Future purchases:

Colefax Arm Chair from Ballard Designs

Pottery Barn Comfort Sofa

Still in search of a bedframe....

Paint the Bedroom?

I have been considering a new color for our bedroom walls. The current color is very soothing, but it really limits our options for sheets, pictures, etc. Thinking of going with white which might make the bedroom look larger and let the furniture's color take over:

Thoughts?

Bedframes- 2

One last one! I also *really* love the color of the walls in that room. Considering repainting mine... probably white not brown, but keeping this one in the back of my mind...

(four posts in one day is a record... making up for lost time)

Bedframes- 1

In the market for a bedframe. Luckily, we have a full sized bed which should make finding an antique frame easier since larger sizes are a relatively new fad. Here are some directions I'm considering going in:

I love the simplicity of the iron frame above. Thinking something along those lines OR a wooden frame like the ones below (brown or painted dark-- the white one below is just a wonderful image).